Saturday, 27 November 2010

Glühwein? Must be Christmas time!

Aaaaah Christmas, the time of year where no amount of tangled fairy lights, wailing children's choirs, or tinsel clad shop fronts can get me down. I love it. Revel in it even.... the more kitsch the better. Santa's grottos? Yes please. Candy canes? Don't mind if I do. Speciality coffees? One of each thanks. Om. And where better to feed my festive wants than at the Frankfurt Christmas Market in Birmingham?!

A smoking bearded toy....just what I've always wanted. Uh huh.

I've been twice so far, am planning another trip in a couple of weeks and, frankly, I'm not sure even that will fill my Christmas quota. If you get the chance to give it a visit, please make sure you go...and take plenty of money with you! You may not go home with everyone ticked off your Christmas shopping list, but you will, 100% undoubtedly [no need to phone a friend] leave with an unbelievably full stomach. If my stomach had a face [weird I know...stay with me] it would be practically beaming from the copious amounts of German food [yep, both times] I managed to consume.

Scary Santa, Yummy Crepes

The big favourites are the mulled wine [and personally, amaretto hot chocolate!], German beer and, of course, the bratwurst. There are soooo many food stands....and if my wallet would've allowed it I would buy something from every one - I had to do a project on the stall workers for Uni and they couldn't have been friendlier.. and so happy! I've got to recommend the chocolate covered fruit - there's a couple of these stalls but the one by the carousel has such friendly staff... and look out for a rather cheeky looking Santa!

Give yourself plenty of time to wander round, it's such a nice way to relax in the midst of any festive stress, and rather than making you want to don some spurs and break out the boxing gloves, the crowds are actually just one cheery mass; slightly merry from a tad too much Glühwein and in no rush to relinquish any clutches of warm food and drink.

So yes, I'm panicking about having done zero Christmas shopping, and I'm beginning to wonder whether my numb fingers and red nose will make it through December, but that Christmas market has managed to cheer me up no-end - the perfect antidote to any winter blues!

P.S. If you do end up going, head into the Bullring - right over to Selfridges where there's a Ferrero stand...and some yummy free chocolates!

10 comments

I saw an advert for this on the tube in London earlier this week and was really confused for a minute - had Birmingham moved to Frankfurt? Had Frankfurt moved to Birmingham? Had they both moved to London?!

Thankfully it all makes sense now, and it looks gorgeous! I hate it when I see adverts for things I want to go to that are miles away :(